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Arifureta After IIWhy, Are You a Hero?
AN: The story ain't progressing even after I wrote twelve thousand words……
He didn't understand
Was he an eneround to talk with each other?
He didn't understand
Were Moana's words the truth? Was justice really on her side?
He didn't understand
Was it the correct thing to do, to cut down an existence with its ohile he was still not really understanding anything like this?
He didn't understand
They were the ene Enemy should be defeated That decision should be correct ……Was it really?
He didn't understand
He should believe Moana and her people ……Should he really?
He didn't understand
Was his judghteous? Was what he believed in correct? Was there so his eyes fro that heconveniently?
He didn't understand He didn't understand He didn't understand
『Hah, just a coward-』
Those thoughts rushed inside Kouki head for a h that caused Kouki to return to his senses in surprise
When he noticed, brutal claere approaching before his eyes
「-!」
『Nuh』
Even when he was taken by surprise, the piled up experience and the greatest specsup with a terrific speed shifted Niebla's claard
Seeing his attack averted so easily caused Niebla to leak out a voice of shock He could never iged breathing froile even in his wildest dreaitation only lasted athe e to make the miasma claws attacked from Kouki's blind spot
But, what resounded wasn't a screa torn apart
shaaan A single clear sound of scraping metals that didn't suit the battlefield It was the sound of theparried by Kouki's holy sword He matched the motion of the miasma claws and averted only their trajectory
『What-』
Niebla's agitation was clear to see this tih his stoht whether his internal organs were being stirred bleay his consciousness for an instant He crashed on the ground without even any awareness of up and down When Niebla recovered his consciousness, his gaze ran toward Kouki
He saw Kouki's figure raising one foot there and he finally understood that he got kicked flying
It was a terrifying technique While his reflex toward the first attack was also a ability toward attack from a blind spot, technique that beautifully parried every attack instead of blocking, and then the perfect counterattack
But, however,
(What's with that!? That man, just what's in the world is the deal with hitechnique like a veteran warrior, but he was still directing scared gaze toward Niebla even now
Just a single kick pierced through Niebla's defense as though tearing through paper scrap and reduced hiht away Just what in the world ascared at?
Or perhaps, he wasKouki's state that was desperately stifling so inside himself, it didn't look like that at all
That hy he didn't understand Here was a warrior that uard of his sworn enemy the queen, and yet his attitude was too mismatched for someone like that, which s also cannot hold on for longer Then, what I should prioritize is-)
Rather than focusing on a newcomer that he couldn't understand, he should prioritize attacking the enemy that would definitely caused collapse in the enemy side if that enemy was defeated, or even if he just wounded that enemy the enemy side would still be shaken In that case, he would also be able to escape
Niebla's eye glint moved away from Kouki and turned toward Moana
『UOOOOOOOOOOOOON-!!』
It was a howl so loud that felt like the eardruht away, ushed out from Niebla's body
The intense ejection of h they would paint over the space itself like black ink was also a dangerous act for Niebla hi out his own life force
But, in this battlefield where irregularity existed, the best choice was to escape with certainty As though to show that, Niebla's ejected h claws
「Your majesty-!」
「I pray-, this――」
「Kuh」
Anneal i to use blessing art of protection while showing anxiety, and Moana resolved herself to intercept while sweating coldly, it was at that moment the miasma claws in the nue
「That's the only thing I won't let you do! ――<Heaven Severance>!」
Kouki cut in front of the tsunami of black and claith a step-in that could be mistaken with a teleportation
Moana called his name 「Kouki-」 with a voice that sounded concerned for him
Were Moana words the truth? When he heard her voice, he couldn't i hier even though they only round, how could he think that she was using hi?
But,
(That's not it, that's not it at all What I cannot believe is――)
His heart felt like it was being whipped andthat he had to protectthe skill that he could invoke swiftly, this light elee――<Heaven Severance> Thisdefensive wall si ave hallucination that the darkness of night was descending, countless layer of radiance defensive wall flew around like the torch of hope Such scene even looked fantastical
The miasma was blocked with certainty, and then Kouki's holy sword swept it aside
That figure that perfectly handled Niebla's fierce attack that caused veteran soldiers like Spenser and others to gulp caused them to comprehend it, indeed, this person was certainly an existence that was invited by a great being He was athe dispersal of the miasma Everyone other than Moana as currently at Kouki's side, seeing his face that was desperately defending against the attack with an expression that looked like he was going to collapse anyti to be a hindrance-!! -Tsk, next ti you do――』
「There won't be any next time」
Niebla finally recovered from the impact of Kouki's attack and he tried to slip into thethat Spenser broke through thathis claws, but Spenserht up to Niebla's torso
『Gugah!?』
「This is the end-」
Screaed out Spenser's sas enveloped in wing that possessed faint green radiance
While Niebla's blood danced in the air, Spenser dodged the jaw attack that Niebla carried out in desperation and his beheading slash was sucked into Niebla's neck
zan- Spenser's sword cut through Niebla's huge body fell down And then, Niebla's head rolled on the ground
『The likes, of……livestock is-』
Niebla fighting spirit didn' vanish even with his head removed, however, because of the li out words of resentht vanished from Niebla's eyes
Spenser huffed and he sheathed his sword, and then he raised a tense voice 「Situation report!」 Right away, the royal guards who in the end didn't lose even a single person reported one after another that they were all safe, that Niebla's underlings were annihilated, and that Dario wasn't seriously injured although the bone of his arm broke
It see art to heighten their self-recovery strength, wounds until simple broken bone could be healed within a fewher majesty I say, that was really as expected from the chosen warrior of Foltina-sa Kouki with an expression that was filled with praise and gratitude without even a speck of malice in it The other soldiers were also the saazing at him full of curiosity It couldn't be helped that they beca really big……」
「Hahah, to be able to say that "it's nothing big" after enduring the fierce attack of a <Black Person> of that level when he was sacrificing his life force! How very reliable! Hero-dono, once more, please take care of us from here on too」
Spenser looked for a handshake with a friendly s i warrior while also possessing hu with the handshake request of such Spenser and also the soldiers ere gathering around him with similar expression like Spenser, his expression looked sohout all that
「Say, can I ask you all to call me by my name if possible? Don't call me hero I don'tto ask Then I'll call you Kouki-dono Only if you call aze of Spenser who perceived Kouki's words as another expression of friendliness was increasingly getting friendlier The positivity level of the aging soldier was rising up steadily And it seemed it was also the sa increasingly looked as though he was stuffing his cheeks with bitter food However his expression was turning into one where it looked like he was desperately holding it so it wouldn't coive you my words of thanks That preeminent skill is really worthy of respect I wish to expressbut……in any case, we also cannot really be carefree after receiving the attack just noant to depart ih……」
「Ah, yes I have no objection It see here was leaked out Indeed, it's better for us to hurry」
Moana entered between his conversation with Spenser and others looking sos Kouki let the tension bled out of his shoulders toward that interruption as though in relieve
They once e of the forest with Spenser in the lead
Before long they could see the border of the forest Kouki sawposition in front of the border and his hand reached out toward his sheathed holy sword
「Kouki, it's okay Those are our e lizard though」
「Right They are called Arous Their trait is their flat torso and long neck Their running ability is high with little shaking They are h they look like that They are really taking kindly to human you know?」
Fro about a transportationani a lizard ot nearer, he could see so like a stool to sit down attached on the ani or sitting by lying heavily on the stolance, their atonna eat the to attack, but seeing the equipment attached on them then indeed, they certainly looked like a transportation method of this world
(I see, they are like the monster that the devil race used as mount huh…… But, herous existence, but this ti else
There were ten Arous in total, but the Arous with the best physique and style ae ribbon tied on top of its head A pink ribbon The ribbon was really pink
Brutal looking face, eyes that shined with fierce glint, the leaked out growling voice guruu, the i air……but, on its head was a pink ribbon
What surrealism Was this the fashion sense of this world's people? Or else, was that an indispensable equipment? No, other than this one Arous that looked like leader, the other Arous weren't wearing ribbon or anything……
Kouki was confused
Moana followed Kouki's gaze and she guessed what he was staring at And then looking a bit boastful she approached the Arous with ribbon
「Fufu, what do you think? It's cute right? This child is my personal mount His name is Haumu The~re there, Haumu~, your master has returned back here~ Were you lonely?」
Moana caressed Haumu's head rub rub, pat pat 'I see' Kouki realized, it looked like this Arous wasn't just a uessed that this Arous was in a position of pet, or perhaps partner of Moana
Both sides held trust at each other――
「Guryah」
「Ouch!?」
Haumu's headbutt was launched Moana's head was thrown back hard Kouki becaht it's ferocious!?」, but whether Anneal or Spenser or the others, none of the their own ht you were lonely alone? When we got hoive you a lot of care okay, so~――ouch!?」
'This cute cheeky guy!' When Moana tried to hug Haumu once more with that kind of feel, a jaw drop that was like a heel drop kick burst on the crown of Moana's head
「……Excuse me, are you okay?」
「Ahaha, there is no proble tiht ahen I approached him」
「Guryuu」
「No, that, no matter how I look at it……」
When Moana turned her head toward Kouki, Hauling and squir No matter how he looked at it, he could only think that she was being preyed on
「Sto, stop it Hau around! That's why, ah, it hurts! Haumu, it's a bit, no, it's really hurt here! Coood child so let me――AA」
Moana tapped repeatedly peshi peshi at Hauh to appeal of soe of many years
Kouki who couldn't bear to see that looked at Anneal asking for help Anneal let out a sigh while pointing at Hauer motion
Kouki fearfully approached Hauaze at Hauh to say 「Please」 His teeth dug into Moana Those were the teeth of a herbivore, so the teeth didn't pierce through, but it must be still hurt A small scream 「Au!?」 came from Moana
Kouki slowly reached out his hand and took the ribbon froratitude at Kouki with his gaze, and then he did 「Peh」 at Moana as though he was spitting out his spit
「Uu, ge, geez Haumu You're really a pah she had been assaulted by hoodlum, and she wiped up her face that was slathered with saliva Her way of talking was changingher face shyly fro down at her with a really complicated expression
「The, then Kouki You can sit behind reeable for you to ride behind me?」
「Ah, yes」
Moana was still slathered with saliva, however, in order to recover the dignity of queen, Moana changed her way of talking back Following her, Kouki climbed on Haumu's back As expected, it see When Moana climbed up, it felt like 「Chih」 sound could be heard froination, there was no way he could clicked his tongue
「Hot on Hau around restlessly in a state seeone?' The ribbon was in Kouki's hand
Hau neck and stared at Kouki An earnest feeling that could be seen just fro of, 「Do so about this woman!」
「……Looks like it flew off somewhere just now Moana-sama, there is also the matter about the attack, isn't it better if we depart soon rather than later?」
「I, I guess Right, I'm sorry Kouki That ribbon was Hau like that isn't it」
It felt like killing intent was residing in Hau 「Who are you saying is pleased with that thing huh, idiottt! I'onna let you die souessed the relationship between the queen and her personalthe ribbon into his pocket In the world, there was also things that was better to be treated as not existing
Hauhtened It seemed that his positivity level toward Kouki was steadily increasing 「Guruu♪」 Perhaps it was just his irowl that sounded like he was in good ether with uest today here So run carefully out there okay」
「Gurya!!」
Was that a simple reply, or was that a yell of denial 「Ain't no way I'm happy about, that, you idiottt!」, in any case with the powerful roar of Hauht after they left the forest, what leaped into Kouki's sight was a sand colored world There was the color of sand continuing until the horizon as far as his eyes could see Moana's words that the forest behind the rare was certainly a fact
「Compared with Guryuen……this is different huh」
That was the ireat desert existed in Tortus It was a world of brown color A world that was filled with the same heat and sand like this place
But, Kouki understood The great desert of Guryuen and this desert were decisively different He was unable to find any words that could express as the difference accurately but, if he had to say it――
「It's dead」